From taking photos to surfing the Internet, we use our smartphones for a variety of reasons. And now, doctors at Lexington Medical Center are adding one more reason: monitoring heart rhythms.

Lexington Medical Center is the first hospital in South Carolina to implant an insertable cardiac monitor that’s smartphone-compatible. Called the Abbott Confirm Rx™ , it’s designed to help doctors detect cardiac arrhythmias, including irregular heartbeats and atrial fibrillation.

Learn about it and how it helped a Midlands college professor recently in this WIS Health U report.

Doctors implant the monitor under the skin in the chest during a minimally invasive outpatient procedure. The device continuously monitors the heart for abnormal rhythms and connects to the patient’s smartphone to record real-time episodes of irregular heartbeats. Bluetooth® wireless technology allows patients to track their symptoms and share their results with their provider instantly using a mobile app. Physicians can remotely monitor their patients’ heart rhythm and accurately diagnose arrhythmias that may require further treatment.

“Using smartphones to send transmissions and communicate with physicians gives patients piece of mind if they feel worried. This technology allows patients to be mobile and live a normal life, knowing they are still being monitored,” said Amy Rawl Epps, MD, FACC, at Lexington Cardiology, a Lexington Medical Center physician practice.

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that develops when disease or injury disrupts the heart’s electrical signals. As the heart begins to beat too fast or too slow, patients experience symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or fainting.

While doctors use several methods to monitor heart rhythms, Confirm Rx is the first and only one that’s smartphone-compatible. And, it provides constant monitoring without needing extra equipment.

“This type of ‘telemedicine’ is a shift in the direction of overall patient care and gives patients some sense of control in their own health,” said Dr. Epps.

Did you know your heart has an electrical system? It does! And it helps your heart keep a healthy beat. When something goes wrong with a heart’s rhythm, an electrophysiologist can help. In this WLTX interview, Dr. Christopher Rowley of Lexington Cardiology at Lexington Medical Center talks about fixing abnormal heartbeats.

Christopher P. Rowley, MD, graduated magna cum laude from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and earned his medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He then completed his internal medicine internship and residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, while completing Duke’s Clinical Research Training Program. He went on to complete cardiovascular disease and electrophysiology fellowships at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Dr. Christopher Rowley

Board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and electrophysiology by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Rowley is also a member of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Heart Rhythm Society. Prior to joining Lexington Medical Center’s network of care, he provided cardiac electrophysiology services at Brookwood Medical Center and Grandview Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama, and at Shelby Medical Center in Alabaster, Alabama.

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This blog is intended for general understanding and education about Lexington Medical Center. Nothing on the blog should be considered or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Blog visitors with personal health or medical questions should consult their health care provider.